The Chronicles of Newgate, vol. 1/2Griffiths, Arthur
History
The Chronicles of Newgate, vol. 1/2
Griffiths, Arthur
Criminals -- Great Britain; Newgate (Prison : London, England); Prisons -- England; Punishment -- Great Britain
Foxe gives full details of her torture in the Tower. At first she was
let down into a dungeon, and the gaoler, by command of Sir Anthony
Knevet, pinched her with the rack. After this, deeming he had done
enough, he was about to take her down, but Wriottesley, the Lord
Chancellor, “commanded the lieutenant to strain her on the rack again;
which, because he denied to do, tendering the weakness of the woman, he
was threatened therefore grievously of the said Wriottesley, saying he
would signify his disobedience to the king. And so consequently upon the
same, he (Wriottesley) and Master Rich, throwing off their gowns, would
needs play the tormentors themselves.... And so, quietly and patiently
praying unto the Lord, she abode their tyranny till her bones and joints
were almost plucked asunder, in such sort as she was carried away in a
chair.” Then the chancellor galloped off to report the lieutenant to the
king; but Sir Anthony Knevet forestalled by going by water, and obtained
the king’s pardon before the complaint was made. “King Henry,” says
Foxe, “seemed not very well to like of their so extreme handling of the
woman.”
Soon after this Mistress Askew was again committed to Newgate, whence
she was carried in a chair to Smithfield, “because she could not walk on
her feet by means of her great torments. When called upon to recant she
refused, as did the martyrs with her.” Whereupon the Lord Mayor,
commanding fire to be put under them, cried, “Fiat Justitia,” and they
were burned.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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